Muslim Man Gets Custody of Christian Teen He Kidnapped

June 15 is Persecution Sunday. Join us as we pray for persecuted Christians like Jessica.

On April 30, 16-year-old Jessica Iqbal was abducted from her home in Pakistan by her 32-year-old Muslim neighbor, Azeem Ullah.

Her Catholic father, Iqbal Masih, a house painter in Lahore, Punjab, filed an abduction case against Azeem the same day, but the police let the kidnapper go after a few hours when he didn’t reveal Jessica’s whereabouts.

Typically, kidnapped girls in Pakistan, some as young as 10, are abducted, forced to convert to Islam and raped under cover of Islamic “marriages” and are then pressured to record false statements in favor of the kidnappers, rights advocates say. Judges routinely ignore documentary evidence related to the children’s ages, handing them back to kidnappers as their “legal wives.”

(May 24, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News)

On May 16, Jessica appeared in court to sign a document saying she converted to Islam and married Azeem of her own free will.

“My daughter Jessica Iqbal couldn’t recite the Kalima [Islamic conversion proclamation] or respond to any other question about Islam in the courtroom,” her father said. “It was quite evident that she had been forced to claim that she had willingly converted her faith, yet the magistrate still allowed her to go with her abductor.

“My wife and I begged Jessica to reconsider her statement, but she told us that she was helpless,” he continued. “She was clearly under immense pressure to speak in her abductor’s favor because she repeatedly said that she was fearful for our lives.”

Pakistan is 96 percent Muslim and ranks among the top ten most dangerous countries in the world for Christians due to violence by Islamic extremists. It is also home to nearly 800 unreached people groups, as well as some 1.5 million Christians (mostly in Punjab). Mobs of Muslims often attack Christians, burning their homes, and accusing them of blaspheming the Quran (which is punishable by death).

Lord, please be a Shield around Jessica. Send Your angels to fill the room where she is imprisoned and protect her from any harm. Whenever Azeem or anyone else tries to do evil against her, block the attacks completely. Open his eyes to see Your angels there guarding her, and strike him with such fear of the Lord, he will repent and set her free. Meet her throughout the day and night, comforting her with Your love and healing her heart, mind and body. Show up in Akeem’s dreams, troubling him constantly with visions and speaking loudly to him. Break the chains that bind him to demons of violence, false religion, lust and evil. Show him the way to salvation. Grip him with such terror that he falls to his knees before You, drops his devotion to Islam and chooses to follow You. Guide Jessica’s parents, the lawyers helping them, police, judges and all authorities involved to make the way quickly for her freedom. Bring her safely home, Lord, please. Now. We beg of You. She needs a miracle. Please do the same for Muskan and all other Christian girls in Pakistan who have been abducted or are in danger. Fight for them. Make the way for their escape. Bring them safely home, and heal their hearts, minds and bodies. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Mikaela Vincent and her husband have served as missionaries for many years in a dark area of the world where Christians are persecuted. They live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:

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